Writing In, Speaking Out: Centering Student Identity Through Open-Ended Survey Responses.
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| Title: | Writing In, Speaking Out: Centering Student Identity Through Open-Ended Survey Responses. |
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| Authors: | Simpfenderfer, Amanda Davis (AUTHOR), Knox, Peter (AUTHOR), Smith, Lance (AUTHOR), Garnett, Bernice (AUTHOR), Kervick, Colby (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Educational Studies. Jul/Aug2025, Vol. 61 Issue 4, p434-453. 20p. |
| Subjects: | Race identity, Gender identity, Psychology of students, Sexual orientation, Acquisition of data, Self-disclosure, Questionnaires |
| Abstract: | Calls for inclusive data collection and analysis that center on individual racial, gender, and sexual orientation identities are ongoing. However, most survey instruments diminish the complexity of identity into discrete, reductive classifications that fail to capture localized and school-based expressions of identity, potentially othering or harming historically marginalized groups. In response to ongoing calls for equity in quantitative measurement, this study examines how students in grades 3–12 self-identify when given the option to express their racial, gender, and sexual orientation through a write-in "other" response option on a district-wide survey. Various patterns of self-expression and individual identities emerged, indicating nuanced and complex patterns of individual identity formation among adolescents that need to be accounted for in measurement efforts. Study results offer insight into creating evaluative tools and methods that promote inclusivity, mitigate harm, and foster student agency and self-expression. Implications for school-based survey design and data collection, as well as the development of inclusive instruments, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Calls for inclusive data collection and analysis that center on individual racial, gender, and sexual orientation identities are ongoing. However, most survey instruments diminish the complexity of identity into discrete, reductive classifications that fail to capture localized and school-based expressions of identity, potentially othering or harming historically marginalized groups. In response to ongoing calls for equity in quantitative measurement, this study examines how students in grades 3–12 self-identify when given the option to express their racial, gender, and sexual orientation through a write-in "other" response option on a district-wide survey. Various patterns of self-expression and individual identities emerged, indicating nuanced and complex patterns of individual identity formation among adolescents that need to be accounted for in measurement efforts. Study results offer insight into creating evaluative tools and methods that promote inclusivity, mitigate harm, and foster student agency and self-expression. Implications for school-based survey design and data collection, as well as the development of inclusive instruments, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 00131946 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/00131946.2025.2545182 |
